One of
the first things I noticed about the album, “Mask,” by Bauhaus was the summary
that was written on the inside cover. It
read, “This is for when your sex is full of Voodoo. This is for when your clothes are
imaginary. This is for when your flesh
creeps and never comes back.” “SOLD!” I
thought as I anxiously put the album on my turntable. Honestly, at the time I doubted this record
could live up to such a glowing, (or perhaps in Goth speak it would be
glowering,) review. However, within the
first thirty seconds of the opening song I realized I was about to experience
something special. Not only did this
intoxicating mix of Goth and Punk fulfill the promise of making my, “flesh
creep,” it excited me so much I almost felt like my skin was on fire.

In my opinion the above summary’s nod to Voodoo
is an accurate description of the music found on, “Mask.” The whole album possesses a sort of
dangerously alluring, “black magic,” vibe that overshadows any weaknesses that
may otherwise be present. Despite the
fact that this blogger found herself deeply entranced with these songs, I was
able to identify some flaws on the album.
The main one being I didn’t care for the lead singer’s voice. In fact, I found it to be fairly
generic. While the vocalist was clearly
passionate about what he was singing, his voice lacked the type of range I
would have liked to hear partnered with these compositions. To be totally honest I felt that when the
lead singer wasn’t actually singing he was at his best.

An example of this can be found during the magnificent
song, “Of Lillies And Remains.” This piece
begins with an artsy spoken word introduction that is paired with staccato
percussion and random electric guitar picking.
The lyrics recited in choppy speech state, “To hide from Peter, who has
fallen to the old cold stone floor, wheezing and emitting a seemingly endless
flow of ectoplastmic goo from ears and mouth.”
Between these obscure lyrics and catchy beats a listener can’t help but
feel like doing something crazy like dancing creepily by firelight. Let me repeat that. This band inspires one to dance, simply by
spoken word. It’s a confusing but
fantastic feat.

Of course the next song continues this theme
with the title, “Dancing.” The sounds of
this piece create a delightfully out of control feeling through the use of bass
lines and abstract horn trills. At the
same time Bauhaus is able to display impressive mastery over their music through
the use of mimicry and repetition. The
singer screams, “Dancing on flick knives, Dancing a stiletto groove, Dancing
our nine lives away, Dancing in the Louvreoeoeoeoe….” trilling the last word of
this phrase much like the horns that accompany him. It’s subtleties like this that elevate a good
band to a great one.

Some of the most accessible songs on the
album include, “The Passion Of Lovers,” and, “In Fear Of Fear.” During, “The Passion Of Lovers,” a listener
is inspired to participate in the, “sing-song,” chorus. More than once I found myself uttering, “The
passion of lovers is for death said she, The passion of lovers is for
death.” All the while this addictive verse is combined with what sounds like low monk chanting. Of course, Bauhaus is too interesting of a
band to leave it at simply that. Instead
they intermix peaceful chants with the sounds of tense guitar jangles. In the end an intense juxtaposition of serene
calm mixed with the disturbed is displayed.
In addition, this feeling of mainstream accessibility continues during
the song, “In Fear Of Fear.” The track begins with a Punk rock introduction that
would make any stick in the mud want to fist pump along to the
strangeness. Of course, the fact that
this is the, “black magic band,” Bauhaus is enough to make a listener a tad
paranoid that one’s arm may mysteriously fall off during the process.

Finally, this blogger found the last song on
the album to be the most remarkable. The
title track, “Mask,” possesses a sludgy, almost pulse-like, beat that conjured
images of someone trying to painfully crawl up a mountain. Halfway through the piece this song
inconceivably transforms into something seriously beautiful. I use the word inconceivable because I simply
don’t understand how Bauhaus does it. I
guess its just songs like, “Mask,” that prove that this band is definitely into
the dark arts and they’re quickly recruiting.

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About Me

"I have always been a huge fan of fashion. While I do not reside in the most ideal location for such an interest, I like to think the ladies of the Midwest have plenty to contribute to this industry I adore. The blog, "Little House Of Haute," is my attempt to demonstrate how everyday, "life on the prairie," can coexist with high fashion. As a warning, this blog will contain a lot of cotton, denim, and even cowboy boots! However, as a self proclaimed modern woman of the plains, I find that mixing these everyday pieces with one of a kind vintage, handmade, and thrift store finds elevate simple items to a new level of style. Ultimately, my goal is to represent the everyday Midwestern woman as she really is. Timeless." (Rayna, 2014)